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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rule — government
  6. firm — a company
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. firm — decided
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rule — a law
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. present — there
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. present — the time now
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. present — a gift
  21. tear — to rip
  22. bear — the animal
  23. tear — from crying
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com